


Sharing body heat

by robliz



Category: Holby City
Genre: Berena Appreciation Week, F/F, Huddling For Warmth, Sharing a Bed, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 12:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11532627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robliz/pseuds/robliz
Summary: Serena and Bernie take Evie and Mikey Fletcher camping. The problem is that it's October and the nights get very cold.





	Sharing body heat

**Author's Note:**

> Set in October after their first kiss. Ukraine never came up and neither of them have discussed their respective feelings since.

“Whose stupid idea was this?” muttered Serena as she tried to burrow down further into her sleeping bag, the frozen air biting at her exposed face. Her whole body shook with the cold and she felt like she would never be warm again.

The sleeping bag next to her shifted and Bernie’s head popped out the top. “Did you say something Serena?” she asked sleepily.

“No,” Serena said pointedly.

Bernie’s face disappeared again. Serena tried to roll herself into a ball, trying to gain warmth from wherever she could. She knew precisely whose stupid idea it was, camping with Evie and Mikey in October. Bernie had said it would be fine. Said she did it all the time with her kids when they were little. Said she never found it too cold. Had dragged Serena along with her because she looked like she needed a break. So here they were, in the middle of nowhere, in a cold snap over October half term, Bernie and Serena in one bedroom of the tent and Evie and Mikey fast asleep in the other bedroom. Not that she would call them bedrooms, just flimsy fabric separated them from what Bernie was generously calling the living room in the centre.

Really, she didn’t know why she had agreed to this whole thing. She hated camping, always had. Her mother had sent her on a school camp once when she was a teenager and she had hated every minute of the tortuous experience. She was not designed for roughing it. She liked hotels, ones with large, soft beds and luxurious showers.

But Bernie had approached her and told her that she wanted to help out with the Fletchlings what with Fletch still being in hospital. It had been her idea to take the eldest two off camping for a couple of nights to give Raf a bit of a break. And she wanted Serena with her. It had been the first time since their kiss that Bernie had actually asked to spend time with Serena and Serena found that she couldn’t refuse Bernie and her puppy dog eyes.

It had been nice, spending time with Bernie and the kids. They’d arrived mid-afternoon and, once the tent had been pitched, mainly thanks to Bernie, they’d all walked over the fields to a pub for dinner. While the food was not the greatest, it was just pub grub after all, the wine had been spectacular. She’d even let Evie taste a sip of wine, laughing at the disgusted face she had pulled. Mikey hadn’t asked to try it after seeing Evie’s reaction.

It had been dark when they left the pub and wandered back up the road to the campsite. Mikey ran on ahead at one point, just to jump out at them from behind a tree. Serena had left out a rather undignified scream and grabbed Bernie’s arm. Evie just laughed at her, too used to her brother’s mischief to be affected. Bernie patted Serena’s hand before Serena let go, making her feel rather tingly inside.

Evie and Mikey had fallen asleep quickly, all tucked up inside their sleeping bags, a large blanket from the car thrown over them both. Bernie had hunkered down in her sleeping bag and seemed to be rapidly on her way to sleep. But Serena still couldn’t sleep. It was just too cold.

She felt a huge shiver take over her body, nudging Bernie as she moved.

“You okay?” Bernie asked, voice full of concern. Her head appeared back out of the top of the sleeping bag and she looked at Serena carefully. Serena stared back, trying to convey the lie that she was fine but couldn’t stop an involuntary shiver that caused her teeth to chatter.

“Serena are you cold?”

“Maybe a bit?” Serena conceded, realising she couldn’t hide it anymore.

“Have you got another jumper you could put on?” Bernie suggested.

“I’m wearing pretty much everything I own right now,” Serena said. This was the truth. She was wearing three different jumpers over her pyjamas, along with fleece socks on her feet.

Bernie wriggled closer to Serena. “There is one thing we could try,” she said, “But I’m not sure it is a good idea…”

“I can barely feel my toes,” confessed Serena, “I’m willing to do pretty much anything to warm up.”

“Well,” began Bernie, reluctantly, “These sleeping bags, they belonged to me and Marcus, and we bought them on purpose because you can zip them together see.” Bernie waved her hand towards the gap between their sleeping bags. “The zips are on opposite sides. We could, I mean if you want to, we could zip them together so we can share body heat.”

Serena felt her cheeks colour, was grateful for the darkness so that Bernie could not see her reaction. “Share body heat?” she echoed.

“If you want to,” Bernie said, sounding scared now.

“I mean it sounds like a very sensible idea,” Serena said, trying to think rationally.

“Ok,” Bernie said, “Give me a moment and I’ll get these zipped together. Sorry, you might get a bit of a breeze but it won’t take long.”

It was a weird sensation lying there, allowing Bernie to unzip both the sleeping bags. Bernie slid out of hers before she started zipping them together. Serena felt Bernie very close to her, her hands brushing Serena’s side, not that she could feel much what with all the layers she was wearing. She let out a small gasp as Bernie brushed her hand across her cheek.

“You really are very cold Serena,” she said, “Like an ice block. You really should have told me earlier.”

“Didn’t want to bother you,” murmured Serena, staring into Bernie’s eyes. God, she could get lost in those expressive brown eyes.

Bernie finished zipping together the sleeping bags and slid back into them, leaving a small gap between her and Serena. They lay there staring at each other for a moment before Bernie spoke.

“Oh, come here. We can’t share body heat from this distance.”

Serena wriggled towards Bernie, feeling Bernie’s arms pulling her in closely as she approached. She rested her head on Bernie’s shoulder and enjoyed the sensation of being wrapped up in her, already feeling much warmer and sleepier.

“You know the best way of sharing body heat is to do this with no clothes on,” Bernie said conversationally.

“You’ll have to do much better than that to seduce me, Ms Wolfe,” Serena said more confidently than she thought.

“I’ll try harder next time,” Bernie whispered into her ear.

Serena smiled into Bernie’s neck and allowed Bernie to pull her infinitesimally closer. Her shivering had stopped and exhaustion overtook her now. Within moments she was fast asleep.

* * *

 

Bernie woke first in the morning, momentarily shocked at finding Serena in her arms, before remembering the events of the previous night. She relaxed her grip around Serena’s torso slightly but didn’t pull away. The urge to kiss the top of Serena’s head, lying conveniently next to hers, was almost overwhelming but she resisted.

A cry from the other side of the tent woke Serena. “Oy, you two, what’s for breakfast?”

Serena pulled her head away from Bernie’s shoulder, locking her eyes with Bernie’s for a moment before rolling out of her arms and fighting her way out of the sleeping bag.

Bernie watched her move, for a moment regretting that Evie and Mikey were here with them. What she would have done to have Serena to herself right now.

“I suppose we better feed those two monsters,” Serena said, unzipping the bedroom door and pulling on a pair of shoes.

“There’s some cereal in the car boot and some milk in the cool box,” Bernie replied.

“Bowls and spoons?” asked Serena.

“In the box in the living room.”

Bernie took the opportunity while Serena sorted out breakfast to change her clothes. She didn’t want to change them with Serena around, afraid of what might happen. She nipped over to the toilet block and splashed cold water onto her face. Holding Serena in her arms all night had caused a reaction that she did not want. Not when there were two children to entertain for the day.

Once she got back to the tent, Evie, Mikey and Serena were all sat on chairs eating bowls of Shreddies. She grabbed a bowl of her own and joined them.

“So, I was thinking of heading over to the castle in the next village today. Anyone want to join me?” Bernie said, smiling at the kids.

“Will there be swords?” Mikey asked.

“Probably.”

“I’m in,” Mikey said.

“Me too,” Evie said.

It wasn’t too long until they were all crammed into the car heading towards the castle, Bernie driving them quickly down the narrow country lanes. Too quickly in Serena’s opinion but she held her tongue.

Serena paid for their admission and the kids shot off inside the castle, Bernie and Serena walking more slowly. They wandered, silently but together, around the downstairs of the castle, admiring the rooms set up like in medieval times. Bernie’s hand itched to reach out and grasp Serena’s but she made no move.

They caught up Evie in one of the upstairs rooms where she was staring at a painting of a family group.

“Do you think the man looks a bit like dad?” she asked. Bernie took a step forward and had a closer look. The father figure in the painting did bear a slight resemblance to Fletch.

“Maybe it is a long distant relative,” she suggested.

“I wish,” Evie sighed, “Then we might have inherited a castle rather than all having to live with Raf.”

“I thought you liked Raf,” Serena said.

“I do. But it is so cramped in the house with six of us. He didn’t buy it intending on so many people living there.”

Serena nodded understandingly. “Come and stay at mine anytime you like, Evie, if you need a break. I’ve got the space and Jason doesn’t mind the odd overnight visitor.”

“Will you be there?” Evie asked Bernie.

Bernie opened her mouth but no sound came out. What could she say? More than anything she wanted to be there but she was sure Serena didn’t want her, not like that anyway.

She was saved from embarrassment by Mikey appearing in the room with them.

“I’ve found the swords,” he announced, “Come and see.”

Obediently, they all followed him down into the castle dungeons where various polished swords decorated the walls.

They ate lunch in the café at the castle, Evie and Mikey chatting happily about friends and school. Bernie was sure she felt Serena’s fingers on her arm at one point but when she looked, they had been moved.

The afternoon went by quickly with a walk around the castle grounds. Bernie drove them back to the campsite and they cooked burgers on a disposable barbeque, Serena making sure they were cooked through and ensuring that everyone, including Bernie, ate some of the salad she had made. Mikey and Bernie managed to do the washing up without getting too much water on themselves and Evie settled down in the tent with a torch and her book, wrapping herself in as many layers as possible. Mikey kicked a football around with Bernie for a while until his eyes started to droop and Serena sent him off to bed as well. Bernie collapsed into the camping chair next to Serena.

“I’d forgotten how exhausting children can be,” she said.

“I honestly don’t know how Fletch manages all four of them,” Serena said. She put down her book that she had been reading by the light of a lantern on the table. “I’ve got a bottle of wine stashed away in my bag. Care to join me?”

“God yes,” came the reply.

Serena grabbed the wine and a couple of mugs. “We’ll have to pretend to be students. I forgot to pack wine glasses,” she commented as she poured the wine. She handed a mug to Bernie and edged her chair a little closer.

“Thank you for making me come,” she said, sipping the wine and looking up at the stars, “I’ve had a nice time today.”

Bernie turned to her. “I couldn’t have managed without you.”

“You’d be fine.”

“I didn’t want to manage without you,” Bernie whispered. She looked away, unwilling to show Serena the emotions evident in her eyes.

They sipped their wine in silence until Serena started shivering again.

“Come on you, bed time I think. Let’s get you warmed up,” Bernie said, downing the rest of her wine and watching Serena do the same.

They got ready for bed separately, Bernie ensuring that the tent was fastened up correctly. When she climbed into their bedroom, she found Serena, wrapped up warm in her nightwear, looking at the sleeping bags that were still joined together from the previous night.

“Do you...” she started, gesturing at the sleeping bags.

“I’m not letting you get cold again, hop in Campbell.”

Serena climbed into the joined sleeping bags and Bernie joined her. They lay side by side, mere centimetres between them. The silence stretched over them like a blanket, both too afraid to make a move.

“You can cuddle me again,” Bernie said quietly, “If you like.”

Serena rolled over onto her side, Bernie followed suit.

“Bernie?” she whispered.

Bernie reached over, suddenly brave, and grasped her hand. “Serena.”

She rubbed gently circles onto the back of Serena’s hand as she felt Serena edge closer to her. Their legs touched and electricity shot up Bernie’s body.

“I…” Serena started. She reached up her free hand to Bernie’s face and traced her cheekbones. Bernie’s eyes fluttered closed at the contact.

Serena took a deep breath and continued, “Bernie I’m scared.”

Bernie squeezed her hand. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” At this point she wasn’t sure whether they were talking about cuddling for warmth or something else. Something more.

“Oh, but I want to.” And then Serena was pressing her lips to Bernie’s insistently. And Bernie knew they were talking about something more. She kissed Serena back enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around her body and drawing her closer.

She pulled back for a moment once she was over the initial shock. “Are you sure?” she checked.

“Very,” Serena said before bringing their mouths together again.

Bernie allowed Serena’s tongue access to her mouth and moaned into the kiss. She felt Serena’s hand trying to get underneath her layers to reach bare skin. She dragged her lips from Serena’s and looked at her in the darkness.

“Not here,” she whispered, “Not with two kids metres away from us.”

Serena smiled and withdrew her hand. “Soon though?” she asked.

“Definitely,” Bernie replied. She drew Serena closer to her, pillowing her head on her chest. “But now let’s sleep.”

* * *

 

If Raf was surprised to see Bernie and Serena on his doorstep, hands linked between them, he made no comment except to ask how the kids had been.

“Perfectly behaved.”

Evie and Mikey pushed past them into the house, dragging their holdalls with them.

“Raf can Serena and Bernie take us away again sometime?” Evie asked, “But maybe not camping until the summer. It gets so cold at night.”

Raf looked at the pair of them, stood on the doorstep looking sheepish.

“You just need someone warm to cuddle,” Serena said, cheeks flushed red.

Raf quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. Watched as Bernie pulled Serena close as they walked back to the car. Made a note to tell Fletch about what had happened. He’d be jealous that Raf had found out first.


End file.
